"In a time where we are all sitting home, missing shows, missing our friends, and dealing with the personal struggles to pay our bills there comes a time when you ask yourself, 'What can I do to help?'"
That thought came from Chris LeBlanc, bassist of Brockton, Massachussetts metallic hardcore band, Burden. Aparently, they had been hit up to do a tape compilation, so that inspired Jerry Colvin of Patient Zero Records to launch their own compilation, with the help of some of his friends from the hardcore community.
In a matter of three days with the help of several labels, bands, and hard effort, the Defending the Commonwealth cassette compilation was born. Featuring 36 bands, across 10 different labels, the compilation also features a foreword by Al Quint (Suburban Voice, Maximum Rocknroll, Sonic Overload Radio). There will be 200 cassettes made on two different colors and should be shipping out at the end of May, which will also include a digital download card.
The compilation kicks off with "Year of the Wolf," a track from the aforementioned Burden. Check it out below:
All profits from Defending the Commonwealth will be donated to the Massachusetts General Hospital Emergency Relief Fund to help purchase must needed supplies for the staff fighting this pandemic on the frontlines. With videos of these courageous folks wearing trash bags to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus, there is clearly a desperate need for help.
Here are a few of the ways they are putting the dollars to work:
- Development of an in-house testing capability, to meet the needs of the patients and health care workers
- Purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health care workers
- Innovative solutions for device development and production (3D printing for masks for example)
- Support of COVID-19 Hotline for patients, in particular staffing the operation with an adequate number of interpreters to help non-English speaking patients access information
- Enhancement of telemedicine capabilities, to ensure patients have a reasonable alternative to physically visiting the hospital, thereby averting possible exposure to the virus
- Subsidization of childcare costs for essential hospital employees, whose children are home due to school closures
Jerry from Patient Zero Records wanted me to include this:
"We are talking about 90 minutes of hardcore, for $10. There will be a small amount of these set aside for other distros at wholesale. The quicker they sell, the quicker we can get the money where it needs to go."
Donate here: Massachusetts General Hospital Emergency Relief Fund | Purchase the compilation here: Patient Zero Records
Tagged: burden
